Parley
by JillDragon
Summary: Pirate AU When the Autobot Navy frigate 'The Ark' is captured by Decepticon pirates Captain Optimus Prime prepared to do whatever it takes to save the lives of his crew. But in the pirate Starscream he might have found his match - in more ways than one


**Author's Notes:** I orginally wrote this for the Spring Kink comm on Live Journal. The orignal prompt was: "Transformers (G1 AU), Prime/Starscream: captured by the enemy - When you're a professional pirate..." and this fic is how I decided to interpret it.

It somehow turned into a bizarre mixture of G1 Transformers and historical accounts of the Caribbean in the late 17th century - which was considered to be the golden age of piracy. _Pirates of the Caribbean_ maybe have snuck in there aswell while I wasn't looking. ⌐_⌐

**Disclaimer:** Transformers is property of Hasbro and the actual history belongs to our past.

**Edit:** This was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but people have been convincing me to try and continue it. I've got a lot on my plate now so it might be awhile before anything gets posted. So for now this is staying a one-shot - but watch this space!

* * *

A joor ago if anyone had asked Optimus if he feared pirates in these waters he would have denied it. The _Ark_ was barely a week out of Port Tarth when the _Nemesis_ struck. The pirate ship had used to cover of darkness to shadow the Autobot Navy vessel and creep up on her unawares. Optimus had to grudgingly admit that he'd been caught off-guard as he sat in his own brig, listening to sounds of the raiders making themselves at home on his ship. The Decepticon pirates usually went after easier prey, like the heavily-laden energon cargo vessels bound for Iacon and avoided the well-manned and well-gunned Navy ships like the _Ark_.

It was an extremely audacious move that had succeeded shockingly well. Caught off guard the Autobot crew had put up a good fight, but in the end they had been overwhelmed and Optimus had surrendered before his people were massacred.

A hatch opened and an all too familiar pair of Decepticons, the triple-changers Blitzwing and Astrotrain, climbed down the ladder into the brig. "You've been called up on deck to see the Captain, Prime," Blitzwing said with a mocking sneer. The silver scar and his missing optic covered by a nanite patch made him look doubly sinister particularly in the dim light. Astrotrain produced a set of keys and unlocked the door, each triple-changer seizing an arm and dragging him out of his cell.

The temptation to lash out and attempt to disable the guards was there, but one look at their loaded weapons and their identical avid expressions that just _dared_ him to try something, Optimus decided the better of it. He'd watch and wait, and opportunity would show up – he just had to be ready to take advantage of it.

The briskly cold air on deck hit Optimus like a slap to the face, heavy with the scent of salt ions. He identified several familiar Decepticons hanging about the deck, leering at him but one was conspicuously absent. It wasn't like Captain Megatron to pass up an opportunity to gloat over the fall of his arch-enemy; Optimus couldn't help feeling rather let down somehow.

"Ah there you are Optimus Prime, it's so good of you to finally join us," a familiar high-pitched voice greeted him.

Turning he saw Starscream, Megatron's first mate, leaning comfortably on the rail, an obnoxiously pleased smirk on his face. "Welcome aboard my ship Captain Prime," he said with an expansive gesture.

Optimus raised an eyebrow, "_Your_ ship?" he repeated with amusement, "What does your Captain Megatron have to say about this?"

If anything Starscream's smirk grew broader, "Megatron was tragically indisposed from too much energon so I kindly left him in a remote stretch of forest to recover and took over the running of the ship for him. I may even come back to pick him up….in a couple deca-vorns or so."

Optimus felt rather underwhelmed_, Oh dear Primus, not again,_ was the first thought that popped into his processor. Starscream's ambitious streak was almost as well known in these waters as Megatron's ruthless brutality; unfortunately so was his tendency to get greedy and overreach himself. Starscream would probably hold power on the _Nemesis_ for a little while – a year at most, before either Megatron caught up with him or the crew themselves mutinied.

Not getting the reaction he desire from his captive Starscream scowled angrily, his air of mocking superiority slipping. "You don't believe me?!" he challenged thrusting himself right into the Navy officer's face – which given that he had to stand on tiptoe to do it was actually rather amusing-looking.

"Don't think I'll let you get away with not taking me seriously, Prime," Starscream hissed, "I can have any one of your crew dancing from a noose at the end of the yardarm, if I choose. Maybe that overly-cheerful second officer of yours' – Jazz. Or how about…" the pirate's grin was predatory, "That sweet young boy…what was his name again…?"

Optimus stiffened in horror at the thought of Bumblebee, who was barely old enough to serve on the ship, being killed so casually. It wasn't common knowledge but Bumblebee was in fact his nephew and he had had promised his brother and his wife that he would look after their youngling. "No! Please don't…!" he blurted out. He instantly knew by Starscream's triumphant laugh that he had just given the blasted slagger the perfect leverage to use against him and he felt ashamed for falling for such an obvious ploy, he really should have known better.

"I'd be careful if I were you," Starscream mocked, "You're far too easy to read, even with that ridiculous face mask," he reached out and patted the mask in question almost fondly. "But I'm being a poor host," he said, his attitude of amused superiority returning, "Please join me in _my_ cabin."

Optimus scowled at the Decepticon's presumptions but he had no choice but to go along. Starscream grandly threw open the door to the private quarters that had once belonged to Optimus, gesturing for his captive to proceed him.

"Hmm…not bad, not bad," Starscream said, gazing around the cabin with proprietary interest, "I was expecting something a lot more ostentatious," he claimed Optimus's chair sitting down and nonchalantly put his feet up on the desk, "You have decent taste in furnishings at least." There was an almost mischievous undertone to his manner.

The Autobot rankled at such a blatant display of ownership; that was _his_ table the Pit-born little bastard was putting his dirty thrusters on. He stood in the middle of the room that used to belong to him, clenching his fists so that he wouldn't be tempted to punch this arrogant and cruel Decepticon right in the mouth. Starscream, of course, cheerfully ignored him, which only angered him even more. For the first time he felt sympathy for his old enemy, Megatron, for having to put up with such a difficult first mate.

"Oh don't be such a poor sport, Prime," Starscream said waving at a chair, "Go and sit down. It can't be comfortable standing so long after such a long, bloody night. But then I hear that you Navy sailors enjoy discomfort," his tone turned sarcastic, "Why else sign up for a hard, dangerous voyage with little or no reward?" The winged Decepticon helped himself to a decanter of energon that Optimus had hoped to share with his officers over dinner – no such luck.

"It's an honor to serve in the Royal Autobot Navy!" Optimus retorted, gathering the shredded remains of his pride around him.

"Of course it is," Starscream said sardonically, "what with all the corruption, abuse, and greedy government officials. And you wonder why so many Navy sailors turn Decepticon given the chance," he took a swig from the decanter. "But of course you are – or were - an officer so you don't know _anything_ about that," the Decepticon gave him a challenging stare.

"I would never mistreat any of my crew," Optimus said icily, but he felt torn between defending the Autobots and agreeing (at least in part) with Starscream. "I suppose the Navy doesn't always have an entirely savory reputation when dealing with the common mech, but I would never permit such behavior on board _my_ ship."

"No, of course not," Starscream smirked.

"I'm serious!" Optimus leaned forward, for some reason eager to prove Starscream wrong, "I don't have the power to change policy so all I can do is lead the way experience has told me is best and hope others will choose to follow my example."

"You'll be waiting a long time then," Starscream stated flatly. Still, he eyed Optimus with considerably more interest than he had shown before.

"It's not –" Optimus began before Starscream cut him off.

"Oh stop with the earnest sincerity slag," he said and shoved the energon decanter across the table, "Here, have a drink."

Optimus stared at the energon and glanced at Starscream with a raised eyebrow.

"What? -is the noble Autobot Captain – or should I say ex-captain – too good to drink with a lowly Decepticon?" Starscream's challenging air returned.

In a fit of determination to prove Starscream wrong, Optimus seized the decanter and took a mouthful, glaring at Starscream, "See?" he said angrily, putting the delicate glass container down harder than he needed to, "I can be every bit as rude and uncouth as you can be!" he snapped, "But what's that supposed to accomplish?"

To his surprise Starscream, instead of getting angry, threw back his head and cackled, his high-pitched, scratchy voice echoing eerily in the room. "So you're not all stuffed up manners and nobility I see," he said in amusement, "I knew there was a reason Megatron liked you!"

The Autobot wasn't sure what to say to that. It was difficult to imagine Megatron taking a liking to _anyone_, particularly to an opponent who thwarted him so often. But he had to admit there was a sense of familiarity about his encounters with the _Nemesis_. He and Megatron had fought over the energon on these far-flung colonies and outposts for so long that they each knew how the other thought and reacted – perhaps that was why he had been caught off guard so easily by Starscream. The younger pirate was a relatively unknown factor due to the fact that Megatron (probably quite sensibly) had never allowed his first mate free reign.

He realized that if he hoped to gain some sort of advantage over Starscream he would have to play a game with rules strikingly different than the ones that had defined the conflict between himself and the Nemesis's former master.

"What's the point of all this, Starscream?" he asked finally, trying to keep his voice calm and level.

"This?" Starscream took his feet off the table and leaned across as if imparting some great secret to Optimus, "Maybe I want to rub in how weak you and the government you serve really are. Or maybe I want to get your measure. I could also just be toying with you," he was so close, his lips almost touching Optimus's audial, "Watching you squirm and try to work your way out of the trap you've fallen in. Or maybe….." there was a long dramatic pause, then he whispered, "I'm doing this for _fun_."

"Fun?!" Optimus said incredulously.

Starscream sat back with a shrug, "Why not? There's so little fun left to be had so I take it where I can, while I can. -And it's 'Captain' Starscream, by the way."

_Obviously we have different ideas of what's considered 'fun',_ Optimus thought, but he pushed ahead. He had to try and reason with Starscream, he would never be able to do that with Megatron, but Starscream…?

"Realistically, how long do you think you can keep this up?" he asked, "You might have won here, but when word gets back to Iacon that you took a Navy battleship they'll stop at nothing to hunt you down. There's a reason most of your kind don't live long enough to retire – they end their lives on the end of a noose."

Starscream snorted, "Am I supposed to be shaking in my thrusters? Thank you Prime for telling me what I have known for vorns," he said sarcastically, "You see the flaw in that theory is that your bumbling Navy will have to actually _catch_ me first."

"And then there's Megatron," the Autobot pressed on, "Do you truly think that he'll just let you go?"

"Him? Pah! That tin-pot moron is old news. What could he _possibly_ do to stop me?" Starscream demanded arrogantly, but Optimus didn't miss the way he shifted his weight uneasily.

"I've fought Megatron for many vorns and he won't forget an insult like the one you gave him. He is relentless, as I'm sure you know," he could see Starscream watching him through narrowed eyes and he knew that he had the pirate's attention, "He will stop at nothing to hunt you down and when he does he _will_ kill you."

Optimus knew instantly, from the brief flash of fear and uncertainty that crossed Starscream's dark face that he had hit upon the Decepticon's private demon. _Hah, I'm not the only who can be easy to read,_ he thought with satisfaction. He shouldn't be surprised that Megatron generated more fear among his crew than the Navy would; the pirate captain was infamous for his brutality.

That split-second glimpse of vulnerability was gone and Starscream's swagger quickly returned, "And I suppose you're offering to save me from this terrible fate, are you?" he mocked. "Am I supposed to gladly leave a life of wealth and freedom where a mech isn't judged by his degree of nobility, and returned to the dull, confined society I left behind?"

However this time his scorn didn't ring entirely true and Optimus could see it was an act at least in part. _Was it _all_ an act?_ he couldn't help but wonder, _Is all that swagger and cynicism real or is it affected to hide what he really is? _He tried to shake off the urge to sympathize; he didn't _want_ to care about this brigand who had taken his ship, threatened his crew, and made a mockery of the Autobot Navy's claim to superiority in this part of the world.

"I think we both know you would never willingly do that, but I can see that you're given a letter of marque in exchange for my ship and my crew," he offered, trying to appeal to both Starscream's fear and his greed, "That would make you a privateer, giving you immunity from the Navy so long as you refrain from attacking Autobot vessels. And it would also entitle you to protection from Megatron when he comes hunting you."

"And I suppose I should take your word for it that once I let you go you won't immediately go back on your word and turn the Navy's cannons on me. _Please_," the Decepticon snorted, "I wasn't sparked yesterday." He propped his head on an arm, "I've got a better idea: how about I ransom you and your officers, and sell the rest of your crew as slaves in Decep-tuga. Although," he paused, giving Optimus a speculative look, "I might keep you; you're more entertaining company than those morons in my crew."

Optimus shifted uncomfortably in his chair, disturbed by implications in the leer on Starscream's face.

"Then I would either sell your ship to the highest bidder or use it for myself," Starscream continued, "It would make an excellent decoy for raiding Autobot colonies, don't you think?"

"I think that you'd be a fool to turn down the opportunity I'm offering you," Optimus said levelly, keeping his temper under control. He didn't want to give the Decepticon pirate the satisfaction of seeing him riled up again; Starscream seemed to almost thrive off of it.

Starscream grinned, showing an uncomfortably large number of teeth, "Maybe you're right, Autobot, but don't expect me to play the game by your rules. I've made a career out of bending and breaking them," he tapped a clawed finger on the table, thoughtfully, "I might be willing to let your crew and ship go free, while holding _you_ as insurance against the Navy reneging on their side of this little deal you're proposing."

The Navy officer nodded, he didn't exactly relish being in Starscream's company longer than necessary, but so long as his crew was unharmed he was willing to pay the price. "I'll accept a compromise if it means letting my people go free."

"Oh not so fast, Prime," Starcream said casually - too casually, there was a dangerous glint in his red optics, "I am willing to compromise, but I do need some…incentive."

Optimus shrugged, feeling at a bit of a loss, "What more do you want?" he asked, spreading his hands.

"Hmm, nothing major," Starscream said, getting up and pacing around to Optimus's side of the table. Optimus got to his feet warily, not knowing what to expect but not trusting Starcream to stay on his good behavior.

"Just a small favor -" The Decepticon's smile was predatory, "- from you." He reached out and gently caressed the antenna on the right side of Optimus's head and the Autobot felt a shiver go through him unbidden, though he tried to hide it. "They say actions speak louder than words, Optimus," he purred, using the Autobot captain's given name for the first time, "So how about you persuade me?"


End file.
